Exponential Science is thrilled to announce the winners of the The Exponential Science Pioneer Awards 2025 which was launched with a $15,000 prize fund to support outstanding research papers across three key categories: Computer Science, Business Management and Financial Economics, and Law. Applications for the awards opened on the 5th of November 2024 and closed on the 27th of January 2025.
The Exponential Science Research Council conducted a thorough review of all submissions and selected three research papers for the award. Thank you to everyone who applied and stay tuned for announcements about the next Exponential Science Pioneer Awards.
Computer Science Category
Paper: Semantic Sleuth: Identifying Ponzi Contracts via Large Language Models
Authors: Cong Wu, Jing Chen, Ziwei Wang, Ruichao Liang, Ruiying Du
Published in: IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering (ASE 2024)
This study introduces a zero-shot Large Language Model (LLM)-driven framework to detect Ponzi schemes in decentralised finance. By eliminating the need for labeled data, the approach offers a scalable and practical solution for real-world financial environments. The research was praised by category judge Professor Yang Liu of Nanyang Technological University for its innovative methodology and practical applicability, marking a significant step forward in fraud detection.
Business Management and Financial Economics Category
Paper: Decentralized Mining in Centralised Pools
Authors: Lin William Cong, Zhiguo He, Jiasun Li
Published in: Review of Financial Studies
This study examines the complex interplay between centralisation and decentralisation in cryptocurrency mining pools. The authors model miners’ decisions on hash rate allocation and explore competition among pools offering risk-sharing services. Their findings reveal how risk-averse miners adjust to dynamic difficulty changes, with insights extending to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) protocols. Professor Carol Alexander of the University of Sussex commended the paper for its robust theoretical and empirical analysis of mining pool dynamics.
Law Category
Paper: Decentralised Finance’s Timocratic Governance: The Distribution and Exercise of Tokenised Voting Rights
Authors: Tom Barbereau, Reilly Smethurst, Orestis Papageorgiou, Johannes Sedlmeir, Gilbert Fridgen
Published in: Technology in Society
This empirical study investigates the centralisation of voting power within Decentralised Finance (DeFi) and Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs). The research provides detailed data analysis demonstrating that most governance tokens are held for trading rather than active participation. Judge Professor Kevin Werbach of the Wharton School praised the study for its originality and valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about governance token distribution.
The Exponential Science Pioneer Awards continue to honour groundbreaking research that pushes the boundaries of knowledge and innovation. By recognising these exceptional contributions, the awards aim to inspire further advancements in deep tech.
